Mulvane
Adolescent Problem
Behaviors
 Substance Abuse
 Delinquency
 Teen
Pregnancy
 School Drop-Out
 Violence
The Science Around
Adolescent Brain Development


Teen Brains Are Still “Under Construction!”
Recent developments in science are providing new
insights about:
1.
2.
Why teenagers take risks and show poor judgment
How teenagers may be highly vulnerable to substance
abuse
www.time.com/time/covers/1101040510/
The Adolescent Brain

We knew before:

– The brain uses 20% of
body’s energy
– The brain constitutes 2% of
body weight
– By age 6, the brain is 95%
of its adult size
– In the first 18 months of
life, the brain undergoes a
rapid process of
overproduction, paring, and
reorganization of brain
cells.
Now we know:
– A second wave of
Exuberance occurs between
the ages of 10 and 13
– The brain is highly
receptive to new info and
primed to acquire new skills
– This process peaks around
11 or 12 years old but
continues into the mid-20s
(around age 24)
Based on research of Dr. Jay Giedd. National Institute of Mental Health (2004)
Nikki Smith – The BACCHUS Network
The Adolescent Brain
(PBS – Frontline: Inside the Teenage Brain)
Corpus Callosum
Frontal Cortex—”CEO”
*Connects Hemispheres
*Planning, Strategizing, Logic,
Judgment
*Creativity & Problem Solving
Amygdala
*Emotional and gut responses;
fear and anger
Cerebelleum
*Coordinates muscles/ movement
*Used more in Adolescents
*Coordinates thinking processes
Hippocampus
*Forms Memories
*Coordinates thinking processes
The Adolescent Brain

Frontal Lobe Immaturity Could Translate into:
– Poor judgment and difficulty thinking through consequences of
behavior
– Increased risk-taking; inappropriate actions not as inhibited as
in adults
– Impulsive and emotional responses rather than logical and
practical ones
– Miscommunication with peers and adults—they miss subtle
social cues, misinterpret expectations, and misread facial
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/teenbrain/work/adolescent.html
expressions.
Critical Thinking Improves with Age
•
•
By age 18, the adolescent’s judgment for structured challenges is
roughly equal to that of adults.
Judgment that involves resisting impulses or delaying
gratification is still under construction during late adolescence
and early adulthood.
http://www.hbo.com/addiction/img/primarylanding/primary_adolescent.jpg
Implications for Adolescent
Brain Development

Preference for sensation seeking and
physical activity
 Poor planning and judgment
 Minimal consideration of negative
consequences
 More risky, impulsive behaviors*
*There is some evidence that being in a group accentuates
impulsiveness.
Youth are Highly
Vulnerable to the Effects
of Alcohol
Fewer Problems in Those
Who Start Later
Age First Drink Predicts Adult AUD from National Household Study on Drug
Use & Health (SAMHSA, 2006)
What does the local data say?
Taking a look at current trends….
Mulvane (Youth Alcohol Use)
Prevalence vs. Availability vs. Attitudes
50
%
40
30
20
10
0
2002
30 Day Prevalence
2003
2004
Perceived Availability
2005
2006
Community Favorable Attitudes
Source: KCTC Student Survey Data
2007
2008
Ind/Peer Favorable Attitudes
Mulvane - 30 Day Alcohol Use & Binge Drinking (5 or more at one time)
35
30.8
30
27.2
25.7
25
18.5
20
%
15.2
14
15
10
5
0
Mulvane
Sedgwick Co.
Alcohol
Source: KCTC Student Survey
Binge Drinking
Kansas
In USD 263 - Mulvane
public schools …
(KCTC, 2008)
…which means of
Mulvane’s (618) 6th, 8th,
10th, and 12th graders …
12.7% of students smoked
cigarettes in the past 30 days
78 students have smoked
cigarettes in the past 30
days
30.8% of students drank
alcohol in the past 30 days
190 students have drank
alcohol in the past 30 days
7.8% of students smoked
marijuana in the past 30 days
48 students have smoked
marijuana in the past 30
days
18.5% of students were binge
drinking in the past 30 days
114 students were binge
drinking in the past 30
days
9.7% of students were drunk or 60 students were drunk or
high at school at least once
high at school at least
once
Age of First Use

Use in Mulvane compares similarly to
Sedgwick County and the State of Kansas
Alcohol – about 13 years old
 Cigarettes – about 13 years old
 Marijuana – about 14 years old

Let’s take a look at an average
City of Mulvane child . . .
*Note: Pictures used are representative of child in story, names are randomly picked.
This is Kaysie.

Kaysie lives in Mulvane.
 Her mom, a single
parent, works and takes
classes at Butler College
so she can eventually
better support her two
girls.
 Kaysie is healthy, happy,
smart and secure.
Kaysie cares for others and
enjoys playing with her
neighborhood friends.
Kaysie has dreams
for the future.
Kaysie will be part of classroom
of 26 students.
Average Age of First Use: Alcohol-10, Cigarettes-10
Kaysie’s Class
in 6th Grade:
Average Age of First Use: Alcohol-12, Cigarettes-10, Marijuana-12
Kaysie’s Class
in 8th Grade:
Average Age of First Use: Alcohol-13, Cigarettes-13, Marijuana-14
Kaysie’s Class
in 10th Grade:
Average Age of First Use: Alcohol-15, Cigarettes-14, Marijuana-15
Kaysie’s Class
in 12th Grade:
Average Age of First Use: Alcohol-15, Cigarettes-14, Marijuana-15
Kaysie’s Class After
High School:
Give me 110%!

Alcohol robs us of our potential
 Research shows…
– For ADULTS who drink to intoxication, they
lose 14 DAYS of training effect
– ADULTS who drink are TWICE as likely to
become injured
– The effects of a hangover, 2-4 days later, reduce
athletic performance by 11.4%
– How much does that cost you?
What Can You Do?
Domains
 Individual/Peer
 Family
 School
 Community
What Does Adolescent Brain Research
Mean to Prevention Programming?
Emotional

Have clear expectations for behavior
 The importance of BONDING
 Training on managing stress
 Teach emotion management strategies
 Reinforce appropriate behaviors.
 Assertiveness training
What Does Adolescent Brain Research
Mean to Prevention Programming?
Social

Communication
 Goal setting
 Problem-solving
techniques
 Parent training
 Increase social
norming practices
http://www.usu.edu/swc/programs/img/final1.jpg
What Does Adolescent Brain Research
Mean to Prevention Programming?
Moral
•
Provide opportunities for students to engage
in healthy discussions that question and
examine the issues of underage drinking or
other high risk behaviors
•
Provide self-management skills for selfcontrol such as refusal skills, goal-setting,
and planning for the future
•
Teach decision making based on intrinsic
motivation rather than external
punishments or consequences
http://www.wmho.org/Graphics/YouthCorpMontage1.jpg
Last Thoughts…about prevention

“Learning from experience” may not take place until
underlying brain structures are in place.

Function as their frontal lobes: help them decipher
emotions; don’t assume they get it.

Encourage sleep.

Encourage stress reduction.

Look at risk taking as necessary and normal; help
students find safe ways to experiment and take risks.

Make use of tested, effective, proven prevention
practices, policies, and programs.
How are They Wired? Nikki Smith The BACCHUS Network
Question: On how many occasions (if any) have you used prescription drugs
(for example, Xanax, Valium, OxyContin, Ritalin, Vicodin, etc.) not
prescribed for you by a doctor in the past 30 days?
Population: Mulvane 10th grade
Percent Responding: 1-2 occasions
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Kansas State Data
Sedgwick County
Data
USD 263 Data
2007
2008
2009
Why Rx Drugs?

Teens perceive prescription drugs as safer
than ‘street drugs.”
 Teens report that Rx drugs are easier to
obtain.
For additional information:
30 min Rx Generation webcast available
http://www.mctft.com/telecasts/past_telecourses.shtml
For further information contact:
Lisa Blume
Wichita/Sedgwick County
Regional Prevention Center at Mirror, Inc.
357 South Lulu Street
Wichita, KS 67211
Phone: (316) 262-2421
Fax: (316) 262-8688
lblume@mirrorinc.org